(^a7^/es ^¥^o^7Zi//(d/uelc/s •I^WK3 ^ tibrarjp of t:he t:heolo0ical ^eminarjo PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY •a ^^8' BX 9185 .B665 1894 Church of Scotland. A book of common order for Sunday and weekday services / A BOOK OF COMMON ORDER, / \ I I EDINBURGH : PRINTED BY ALEX. RITCHIE & SON, 51 YORK PLACE. /f ./ A BOOK OF COMMON ORDER FOR Suttirag anJr Witt^^^m^n ^u\sitt^. EDINBURGH MDCCCXCIV FOURTH EDITION. The Book of Common Order, sanctioned by the General Assembly of 1562, and long used in the Daily Service of the Church in Edin- burgh^ having fallen into desuetude, and become, in the lapse of years, antiquated in language, and unsuitable for present use ; the following Ser- vices have been compiled to supply, in some measure, the want thereof, until another similar formulary be set forth by the proper authority. CONTENTS. Third Fourth Fifth Sixth PAGE z First Service, .-_ Second ,, -....-._i2 22 ■ - ■ ■ - 34 • ■ 45 56 Seventh ,, 5- 79 91 lOI 112 Eighth „ Ninth ,, Tenth ,, Eleventh ,, «----.. Twelfth ,, ,24 Thirteenth ,, - • . . . . . .j^- Fourteenth ,, jAr CONTENTS. vu Private Prayers — (I. (2. (3- (4. Special Prayers — / (I. (2. (3 (4- (5. (6. (7. (8. (9. (10. (11. (12, (•3- (14. (15- (16. (17- (18. (19. (20. (21. (2^. Before Public Worship, After Public Worship, Before Holy Communion, After Holy Communion, At Daily Service, For the General Assembly during its Meeting, At the close of the Year, - . . - * At the Beginning of the Year, Thanksgiving for Harvest, In Time of Dearth, .... In Time of War, .... On the Restoration of Peace, In Time of Controversy Before Communion, .... After Communion, .... Commemoration of the Birth of Christ, The Sufferings and Death of our Lord, The Resurrection of our Lord, - The Ascension of our Lord, The Gift of the Holy Ghost, The Second Coming of our Lord, The Hope of Heaven, For Pleavenly Wisdom, For Humility, .... Holy Examples, For Power of Service, ISO 150 150 150 151 153 154 155 156 157 157 158 158 159 159 160 161 162 162 163 163 164 165 165 166 166 viii CONTENTS. PAGE (23.) For Diligence, - 167 (24.) For Faith, 167 (25.) For Hope, 168 (26 ) For Charity, - 168 vSpecial Services — An Order for the Administration of Infant Baptism, 169 An Order for the Celebration of the Communion, or Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, - - - 1 76 An Order for the Solemnization of Marriage, - 186 An Order for the Burial of the Dead, - - - 196 COMMON ORDER. First Sunday of the month at Morning Prayer, or Monday of First Week. TAe Congregation being assetnbled, the Service shall begin with the singing of a Psalm^ after which the Minister shall make this Call to Prayer. OCOME let us worship and bow down ; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker: For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Let us pray. Then shall be said the following prayers and supplicatio7is — Invocation of the Divine Presence. O Heavenly King, the Spirit of truth, who art present everywhere and fillest all things, Treasure of blessings, and Giver of Life; come and dwell in us and purify our hearts from every stain, and vouchsafe us this day such blessing COMMON ORDER. through thy worship, that the days which follow may most truly be spent in thy favour and ser- vice, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A General Confession and Prayer for Pardon and Peace. O merciful God, we acknowledge and confess before thee our many sins, especially those sins which our consciences charge against us.. .Thou art our Father, but we have been disobedient child- ren. Thou art our King, but we have been rebel- lious subjects. Thou art our Master, but we have been unprofitable servants. When we would have done good,evil has been present with us. Our own hearts condemn us, and thou art greater than our hearts, and knowest all things. Have mercy upon us. For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ pardon our sins. Give unto us the assurance of reconciliation and forgiveness. Fill us with all joy and peace in believing, and grant unto us grace to love thee more truly, and to serve thee better in all time to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Note.— ^FA^«^ A General Thanksgiving. thought desirable I the thanksgiving I O God, our Hcavcnly Father, T^j^'^''^^'-^^; ^ from whom cometh down every good the Prayer J or 11- ^ ^ htmination. ) and pcrfcct gift; we thank and praise thy name for all thy mercies, and for every bless- FIRST SERVICE. ing we have received from thee : For health and strength, for food and raiment, for our homes, our parents, our children, and our friends ; for the work thou hast given us to do, and the strength thou hast given us to do it ; for com- fort in sorrow, for deliverance from danger ; and if there be any special mercies now present to our minds we thank thee for them.. .Most of all, with thy church throughout the world, we bless thee for thy love and compassion mani- fested toward us in Jesus Christ our Saviour: That through him a new and living way hath been opened up to thee, and that by his gospel life and immortality have been brought to light Thanks be unto thee, O God, for thine unspeak- able gift ; and grant that we may be so filled with a sense of thy love, that as we have freely received from thee, we may freely give unto others, and may glorify thee with our bodies and spirits which are thine, which thou hast re- deemed, and which thou preservest from day to day, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Prayers and Siipplications. Almighty God, who art full of compassion, to whom all our desires, our anxieties and sorrows are known ; bestow upon us out of thine infinite fullness such things as we most truly need for body and for soul. What is dark in us do thou COMMON ORDER. enlighten, what is unholy in us do thou cleanse, what is weak in us do thou strengthen ; make us what thou wouldst have us to be ; conform us to the image of thy dear Son, and grant us grace to live as His true disciples. God of all grace and consolation, work in us, we beseech thee, the repentance that needeth not to be repented of, the faith that overcometh the world, the love which is the fulfilling of the law, tlie hope that maketh not ashamed, the joy which is full of glory, the peace which passeth all under- standing : That these things being in us, and abounding, we may neither be barren nor unfruit- ful in the work of the Lord, but may have an entrance ministered unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour. Here may be said stick other prayers as may be thought desirable. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ac- cording to the power that worketh in us, — unto him be glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Theft is read a part of the Old Testament ; after which is chanted o?ie of the Psalms in the prose ve7'sion, or FIRST SERVICE. the Te Deum, or other hymn is sung. When thought desirable^ the Te Deum ?nay be sung before the Old Testament lesson. Then is read a part of the New Testament. At the beginning of each portion of Scripture^ the reader shall say — Let us read the word of God as it is written in the book of . . . chapter ... at the . . . verse, And at the close of each he shall say — May God bless unto us the reading of his word, and to his name be the glory and the praise. Then shall be said the following prayer — A General Intercession. Let us Pray. O most loving Father, who hast given us grace to pray for ourselves, hear us now while in humility and duty we pray thee for others. We pray for men every where, that they may be brought to the knowledge and obedience of the truth. We pray for our native land, and for thy servant our Sovereign, Queen Victoria, that her throne may be established in righteousness, and in the hearts, and affections of a free, loyal, and COMMON ORDER. religious people; and that finally she may receive of thee the crown of life which fadeth not away. We pray for Albert Edward Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and all the Members of the Royal Family, that thy blessing may rest upon them and thy grace be given to them. We pray [for the High Court of Parliament now assembled and] for all rulers, judges, and magis- trates [especially for the magistrates of this city and those who sit in council with them], that thou wouldest bestow the spirit of wisdom upon all to whom thou hast given the authority of govern- ment, and that we, under them, may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty. We pray for all universities and schools of learning [especially for the university of this city] that thou wouldest replenish them with that wisdom which cometh from above. We pray for the whole company of the faith- ful throughout the world, that grace, mercy, and peace may be multiplied to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. We pray for those who minister in holy things, [and especially for those who serve thee in this parish . . .] that they may feed rightly the flock FIRST SERVICE. of Christ; and do thou so perfect thy gifts in them that they may now faithfully discharge their mi- nistry, and at the last may enter into thine eternal joy. We pray for all who are engaged in works of mercy and compassion, for all who preach the gospel among the heathen, for all who teach the ignorant, who minister to the sick, who visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, or who plead the cause of the oppressed ; that thou wouldst grant unto them the aid of thy fatherly counsel, and the support of thy divine strength, [especially we ask thy blessing upon . . . every good work for thee carried on in this parish.] We pray for all who wander in doubt and un- certainty amid the darkness of this present evil world, and for all who are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, that thou wouldst grant them grace to come unto themselves, the will and the power to return unto thee, and the loving welcome of thy forgiveness. We pray for all travellers ; for the stranger in a strange land; and for all who are far from home; that they may be kept by thee in peace and safety, and may never want the comforting sense of thy presence. COMMON ORDER. We pray for our benefactors that they may be rewarded, and for our enemies, that they and we may be tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as thou, for Christ's sake, hast forgiven us. We pray for all dear to us. Fill us with such love, gentleness, and patience, that we may walk in our homes with a perfect heart, and have joy in each other that passeth not away. We pray for all in sickness and distress, [and for any such known to ourselves whom we name in our hearts before thee . . .] that thou wouldst give strength to the weary, aid to the sufferers, comfort to the sad, and help to all in tribulation. We pray for the dying, that they may depart in the peace of Christ, and be for ever with the Lord. Thanksgiving for the Faithful Departed. And, rejoicing in the communion of saints, we bless thee for all thy servants who have de- parted this life in thy faith and fear, especially those dear to our own souls. Make us followers of them as they were followers of Christ, that even now we may be one with them in the com- munion of the same spirit, and hereafter may FIRST SERVICE. be gathered together into the bosom of thine infinite and eternal love. Hear, O Lord, these our thanksgivings for them, our intercessions for others, and our prayers for ourselves: And to thee. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, for ever and ever. Then is sung a Hymn; after which, on the Lord's day, follow the Prayer of Illumination, the Lord's Prayer and Sermon.— At week-day Service the Lord's Prayer may come after the Prayer of Intercession, should such be deemed desirable, and the service be thereafter closed by the singing oj a Hymn a7id the Benediction, or with such prayers as to the minister may appear suitable. A Prayer for Illuininatioft. Almighty God, who hast bestowed thy word upon us, grant unto us grace rightly to under- stand it. Save us from using thy word deceit- fully, from wresting it to serve our own purpose, from being in bondage to the letter whilst we neglect the spirit ; and grant that searching the scriptures diligently we may find in them their testimony to Christ, and beholding his glory re- flected in them, may be changed into the same image from glory unto glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. JO COMMON ORDER. The Lord's Prayer. Our Father which art in heaven : Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our tres- passes as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. a me It. Then follows the Sermon : after which a Hymn is sung., and then is said A Commendatory Prayer. Follow, O God, with thy blessing [the preach- ing of thy word and] the worship of this day . . . Heie may be offered such petitiofis as may be thought desirable. Take us now and evermore into thy good and holy keeping. Go with us where we go, dwell with us where we dwell, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us thy love, which is immortal, and which thou hast mani- fested unto mankind in Jesus Christ our Lord. ^men. After this any intimations are fuade, the collectioji is taken, a?id the Anthem sung. There is then pronounced FIRST SERVICE. The Benediction. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you [us] all. Or, The peace of God, which passeth all under- standing, keep our hearts and minds in the know- ledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ; and the blessing of God Al- mighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you [us], and remain with you [us] always. iHmen. ^men. ^men. 12 COMMON ORDER. First Sunday of the Month at Evening Prayer, or Tuesday of First Week. The Congregation being assembled, the Service shall begin with the singing of a Psalm, after which the Minister shall make this W Call to Prayer. E have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feehng of our in- firmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us pray. llien shall be said the following prayers and supplications — Invocation of the Divine Presence. Let thy Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of SECOND SERVICE. 13 US. Purify us, we beseech thee, from all guile ; unite us to one another in the bonds of love and peace ; pour down upon us thy spiritual gifts, and grant that this season of holy quiet may be profitable to us in heavenly things ; and refresh and strengthen us to finish the work which thou hast given us to do, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A General Confession and Prayer for Pardon and Peace. Almighty and most merciful God, our heavenly Father, we cast ourselves before thee under a deep sense of our unworthiness. We have grievously sinned against thee in thought, in word, and in deed. We have come short of thy glory. We have broken thy commandments, and turned every one of us aside from the way of life. We especially confess those sins now present to our minds. . . . Yet do thou, O most merciful father, hear us when we call upon thee with penitent hearts. Pardon our sins, and grant us thy peace. Purify us, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, from all inward weakness, and make us able and willing to serve thee in newness of life, to the glory of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. /^ COMMON ORDER. Note.— ^F/^^•«^ A General Thanksgiving, thought desirable^, the thanksgiving O God, givcf of all good, and .zaybesaidbefore , fountain of all mcrcics, in whom are the prayer jor II- \ ' luinination. J thc spHngs of our Hfc ; all glory, thanks and praise be unto thee for thine over- flowing goodness ; for thy faithfulness, which is from one generation to another ; for thy mercies which are new every morning, fresh every moment, and more than we can number ; for seed time and harvest, summer and winter ; and days and nights throughout the year ; for food, and raiment, and shelter ; for health and reason ; for childhood and age, and youth and manhood ; for thy fatherly hand ever upon us in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in life and in death ; for friends and kindred, and kind bene- factors ; for home and country ; for thy church and for thy gospel, and for any special mercies now in our remembrance . . . yea Lord, for that there is nothing for which we may not bless and thank thee. Therefore do we call upon thy name, and present unto thee the offering of our grateful hearts. t)' Prayers and Supplications. God of all power and glory, who hast taught us to be careful for nothing, but in everything by SECOND SERVICE. '5 prayer and supplication to make known our wants unto thee; stretch out thine hand full of blessings, and supply our wants out of thine in- finite fulness. Sanctify us in body, soul, and spirit. Guide us evermore in the way of peace. Help us to overcome the world, and to serve thee in our day and generation. Give us courage to confess Christ always, and never to be ashamed of him or of his gospel. May the same mind be in us that was in him, and may we have patience to endure in his service unto the end : That having finished our course with joy, we may rest in hope, and finally attain to the resurrection of the just, through thine infinite grace and mercy Here may be said such prayers as may be thought desirable. O God, our Father, who hearest the cry of thy children, receive these our prayers that we have made unto thee, and grant unto us an answer in peace ; and may the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in thy sight, who art our strength and Redeemer, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then is read a part of the Old Testame?it, after which is chanted ofie of the Psalms in the prose versio?i, or the Te Deum^ or other hymn is sung. When thought i6 COMMON ORDER. desi7'able, the MagJiificat or N'unc Diinittis may be swig before the Old Testament /esson. Then is read a part of the New Testa7nent. At the beginning of each portion of Scripture, the reader shall say— Let us read the word of God as it is written in the book . . . chapter ... at the . . . verse, A?id at the close of each he shall say — May God bless unto us the reading- of his word, and to his name be the glory and the praise. Then shall be said the following prayer — A General Intercession. Let us Pray. Hear us, O Lord, as we approach thy throne of grace to make intercession for others, and grant that our hearts may be filled with charity, peace, and good-will, to all men. Almighty God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, from whom proceedeth all power and dominion in heaven and on earth; most heartily .we beseech thee to look with favour upon thy servant. Her Majesty the Queen, and to bless her in her person, her family, and her government. Imbue all in authority under her with the spirit of wisdom, goodness, and truth. Grant thy bless- SECOND SERVICE. 17 ing [to the High Court of ParHament now assem- bled, and] to all holding offices of trust and power [especially the magistrates of this city, and those who sit in council with them], and so rule their hearts and bless their endeavours that law and order, justice and peace, may everywhere prevail. Preserve us from all public calamities : From pestilence and famine, from war, privy con- spiracies, and rebellion ; but especially from national sins and corruption. Prosper all endea- vours to promote the good of the people. Grant unto all schools and universities [especially the university of this city] power wisely to train the youth of our land. Make us strong and great in the fear of God, and in the love of righteousness ; so that being blessed of thee we may become a blessing to all nations, to the praise and glory of thy name. O thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, cause thy blessing, we beseech thee, to rest upon the church which he has pur- chased with his most precious blood. Illu- minate her ministers with the knowledge and understanding of thy word. Send down the healthful dew of thy grace upon all her congre- gations. Deliver her from false doctrine. Mani- fest more and more her unity, and clothe her B i8 COMMON ORDER. with the beauty of holiness and peace. Estab- lish and reveal thy glory among the nations. Send the light of thy gospel to the dark places of the earth ; call back to thy fold those who have wandered therefrom. [Especially we ask thy blessing upon . . . every good work carried on in this parish.] And bring in speedily the full victory of thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. O God, the creator and preserver of all man- kind, we implore thy mercy in behalf of all classes and conditions of men ; that it may please thee to visit them with thy most compassionate help according to their manifold necessities and wants. Bless all who are dear to us. Reward all who have shown us kindness. Forgive, and teach us to forgive, all who have done us wrong. Guide and protect all strangers and travellers. Especi- ally do we beseech thee to show thy pity upon all widows and orphans ; upon all prisoners and captives ; upon all sick and dying persons ; upon those who are desolate or sore afflicted in any way ; and upon any such known to our- selves whom we name in our hearts before thee . . . Enable all thy sorrowing children to look unto thee, O most merciful Father, and to call upon thy name, that they may find thee a pre- sent Saviour in their affliction and distress ; and SECOND SERVICE. jg let it please thee to deliver them and raise them up in due time, giving them patience under all their sufferings, the rich comfort of thy grace here below, and eternal rest with thee in heaven. Thanksgiving for the Faithful Departed. Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and who hast knit all thy saints in one communion unto life eternal ; Make us thankful for all thy grace and mercy bestowed on those whom thou hast taken to thyself. Keep alive in our hearts the remembrance of their goodness ; and give us grace to cherish the hope that when the day breaks and the shadows flee away, we shall meet them again in thy presence with exceeding joy. Grant an answer, O Lord, to these our prayers, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then is sung a Hymn; after which, on the Lord's Day, folloiv the Prayer of Illiwiifiation, the Lord's Prayer, and Sermon. — At Week Day Service the Lord's Prayer may come after the Prayer of Lnter cession, should such be dee?ned desirable, and the service be thereafter closed by the singing of a By?nn and the Benediction, or with such prayers as to the Minister may appear suitable. 20 COMMON ORDER. A Prayer for Ilhimination. Almighty and everlasting God, the source of all life and joy, who, by the glad sound of the gospel, hast called us to have part in thy king- dom and glory ; Shine powerfully into our hearts, we beseech thee, that we may heartily choose that good part which shall not be taken away from us, and give diligence to make our calling and election sure, through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord's Prayer. Our Father which art in heaven : Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our tres- passes as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Emen. Then foil QUI s the Sermon; after which a Hynui is sung, and then is said A Coinniendatory Prayer. Grant thy blessing, O Lord, to the service of thy house, and seal every good impression on our hearts. SECOND SERVICE. 21 Here may be offered such petitions as may be thought desirable. To thee we commend ourselves, body, soul, and spirit Thine is the day, O Lord, thine is ,the night. Grant that the sun of righteousness may abide in our hearts to drive away the dark- ness of wicked thoughts ; and as thou coverest the earth with darkness cover us over with thine infinite mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. After this any intimations are tnade, the collection is taken, and the Anthe7n sung. Then is pronounced The Benediction. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you [us] all. Or, The peace of God, which passeth all under- standing, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you [us], and remain with you [us] always. iHmen. ^men. amen. 23 COMMON ORDER, Second Sunday of the montli at Morning Prayer, or Wednesday of First Week. The Congregation being assembled, the Service shall begin with the si?igi7ig of a Psalm, after which the Minister shall make this Call to Prayer. SEEK ye the Lord while he may be found ; call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Let us pray. Then shall be said the folloiving prayers a fid supplica- tions — Invocation of the Divine Presence. O thou who hast made thy church thy dwell- ing-place, and chosen it as thy rest for ever and ' THIRD SERVICE. hast taught us in thy word not to forsake the assembhng of ourselves together ; Regard in thy special mercy all those who are met this day in thy holy courts. Manifest thyself to them as thou dost not unto the world. Bless unto them and unto us all thine ordinances, and may our worship in thy church on earth enable us more truly to serve and glorify thee in our daily life, so that at the last we may come to thy nearer presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A General Confess io?i and Prayer for Pardofi and Peace. O Lord God, eternal and almighty Father, we acknowledge and confess before thy holy majesty that we are miserable sinners ; born in iniquity, prone to evil, unable of ourselves to do that which is good ; transgressing daily and in many ways thy holy commandments; and in thy just judgment, deserving of condemnation and punish- ment. But, O Lord, we are deeply grieved for having offended thee. We condemn both our- selves and our sins with unfeigned penitence. We seek refuge in thy mercy, and humbly entreat thee to help us in our misery. Especially we confess the sins which our consciences now charge against us. . . . Be pleased, O father of mercies, to have compassion upon us, and for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son, to pardon all our 2J. COMMON ORDER. sins. Give us peace and assurance of thy for- giveness. Grant unto us also, and increase in us from day to day, the grace of thy holy spirit, that acknowledging and bewailing more and more our iniquities we may forsake them with all our hearts, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness which are well pleasing in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. i^oT^.-when\ ji Ceneral Thanks^ivins^. thotigJit desirable I the thanksgiving • Q God, thy glory is great in all viay he said before \ .-, i i , .1 . /- . , the Prayer/or II- j the churchcs, and the praises of thy inminatiott. J namc rcsound in the assemblies of thy saints. We, thy servants, would humble our- selves before thee ; we worship thine infinite majesty, we celebrate thy wisdom, power, and goodness, that shine forth in the works of creation and redemption, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We bless thee for all temporal and spiritual good that we continually receive at thy bounti- ful hand, and for those mercies now present to our remembrance . . . but more especially with all thy people assembled this day, we praise thee that thou didst send into the world thy Son to save us, and having delivered him for our offences, didst raise him up again for our justi- fication, and through his glorious resurrection from the dead hast given us the blessed hope of everlasting life. O Lord, may these our thanks- THIRD SERVICE. 25 givings come up with acceptance before thee ; and do thou make us worthy at the last to iiave part in the resurrection of the just, and the glory of the kingdom of heaven, whither Jesus, the fore- runner, is for us entered. Grant this, O Lord, for his sake. Prayers mid Snpplicatmts. O God, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift, hear us when we humbly ask of thee those blessings which thy Son has promised to all who are his true disciples : Make us poor in spirit, that ours may be the kingdom of heaven. Make us to mourn for sin, that we may be comforted by thy grace. Make us meek that we may inherit the earth. Make us to hunger and thirst after righteous- ness, that we may be filled therewith. Make us merciful, O Lord, that we may obtain mercy. Make us pure in heart, that we may see thee, our God. Make us peace-makers that we may be called thy children. Make us willing to be persecuted for righteous- ness' sake, that our reward may be in heaven. O thou fountain of grace, and of truth, who hast called us out of darkness into the marvellous 26 COMMON ORDER. light of the gospel of thy dear Son ; Grant us grace to walk worthy of this our vocation, in all lowliness and meekness of mind, endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, that our fruit may be unto holiness and the end everlasting life. Here Jiiay be said such p7'ayers as may be thought desirable. Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. Theti is read a part of the Old Testament ; after which is chanted one of the Psahns in the prose version, or the Te Denm, or other hyjnn is sung. When thought desirable., the Te Deu7n may be sung before the Old Testament lesson. Then is read a part of the New Testament. At the beginnifig of each portion of Scripture the reader shall say — Let us read the word of God as it is written in the book of . . . chapter ... at the . . . verse, And at the close of each he shall say — May God bless unto us the reading of his word, and to his name be the glory and the praise. THIRD SERVICE. sy The7i shall be said the folloiumg prayers — A General Intercession. Let us Pray. Almighty God, who hast commanded us to make prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men, hear these our intercessions which we now present unto thee : Remember, O Lord, every work of thy hand for good, and visit the whole world in thy mercy. Remember, O Lord, our native land. Bless its people. Lead us in the way of honour and justice, and of true and enduring prosperity. May we be mindful of the trust which thou hast laid upon us, and ever be found faithful to thy cause. Remember, O Lord, our Sovereign, Queen Vic- toria, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the Prin- cess of Wales, and all the members of the Royal family. Let thy servant, our Sovereign, rule in thy fear, and live for the welfare of her people. Preserve her throne in peace. Prolong her days on earth ; and finally bring her to the glory of thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 28 COMMON ORDER. Remember, O Lord, all in authority, that they may exercise their power as ministers of thy justice and mercy. Especially guide and direct [the High Court of Parliament now assembled], [the magistrates of this city and those who sit in council with them]. May a wise and faithful spirit prevail in our councils ; and may we be delivered from all evil ambitions, selfish motives, and false judgments, that we may hold a worthy place in the community of nations, and live as fellow-citizens of thy kingdom. Remember, O Lord, the church of thy Son Jesus Christ, which is from one end of the earth to the other. Plenteously furnish her with the gifts of thy spirit. Heal her divisions. Grant unto her peace. Unite all thy people in the bonds of faith, and hope, and charity, and let thy kingdom come everywhere. Remember, O Lord, those who serve thee in the ministry of thy Son's church [especially those who serve thee in this parish]. Make their ministry blameless. Adorn them with all chris- tian virtues. Make them guides to the blind, light to them that sit in darkness, followers of the good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep ; so that at the last they may receive the reward which thou hast prepared for those who have contended earnestly for thy gospel. THIRD SERVICE. 2g Remember, O Lord, all those who are labouring in the cause of thy righteousness and truth, those who preach thy gospel among the heathen, those who bring forth fruits and do good works in thy holy church, and who remember the poor. Recompense them with thy rich and heavenly gifts. Render to them, instead of earthly things, the heavenly ; instead of temporal, the eternal ; instead of corruptible, the incorruptible. Remember, O Lord, those who serve thee in the upbringing of the young; — all universities and schools [especially the university of this city]. May they train up a seed to serve thee better in their day than we have been able to do in ours, and be unto thee a name and praise in all generations. Remember, O Lord, the whole body of the people, — those present here, and those absent from our midst ; and have compassion upon them and on us according to the multitude of thy mercies. Fill their stores with every good thing, keep their families in peace and concord ; bring up the little ones ; teach the young ; strengthen the old ; comfort the disheartened ; gather those who are scattered ; bring back and join to thy church those w^ho have gone astray ; guide the travellers by land or sea ; solace the lonely ; care for the so COMMON ORDER. widows ; protect the orphans ; deliver the cap- tive ; heal the sick ; prepare the dying. Remember, O Lord, those who are in tribula- tion, necessity, or danger [especially any such known to ourselves whom we name in our hearts before thee]; and all w^ho are in need of thy great compassion ; those who love us or hate us ; those who have given us charge, unworthy as we are, to pray for them, and those whom, through ignorance or forgetfulness, we have omitted to mention. [Remember us,0 Lord, in the season of the year; grantus temperate and favourable weather. Crown the year with thy goodness.] Receive us all into thy kingdom, showing us to be children of the day and sons of light ; and grant us, O Lord our God, thy peace and love. Thanksgiving for the Faithful Departed. And remembering before thee thy whole people on earth, we thank and praise thee for those whom thou hast taken to thyself out of the temp- tations and sorrows of this present life. Grant that we may not mourn for them, as those who have no hope ; and may we so follow thy saints who have gone before us, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared THIRD SERVICE. 31 for all that love thee from the foundation of the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Emen. The7i is sung a Hymn ; after which^ o?i the Lord's Day, folloiu the Prayer of Ilhimination, the Lords Prayer, and Sermon. At Week Day Service the Lord^s Prayer may come after the Prayer of Lnter- cession, should such be deemed desirable, a7id the ser- vice be thereafter closed by the singing of a LLy 77171 a7id the Be7iedictio7i, or with such prayers as to the Mitiis- ter 77iay appear suitable. A Prayer for Ilhiiiiination, Let thy gospel, O Lord, come unto us now, not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance : By it may we be guided unto all truth, and strengthened unto all obedience and enduring of thy will with joyful- ness ; so that abounding in the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope, we may finally be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord's Prayer. Our Father which art in heaven : Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this 32 COMMON ORDER. day our daily bread. And forgive us our tres- passes as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Thefi follows the Sermoft. After which a Hyiim is sii?ig, a?id then is said A Commendatory Prayer. Merciful father, accept our worship, and bless it unto us. Here 7jiay be offered such petitions as may be thought desirable. Into thy hands we now solemnly commend ourselves, body, soul, and spirit. Keep us in safety under the shadow of thy wings, and pro- tect us evermore in life and death by thy mighty power, through Jesus Christ our Lord. After this any iiitimatiofis are made^ the collectio?i is taken, a?id the Anthe?n sung. There is the7i pro?wunced The Benediction. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and tl e love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you [us] all THIRD SERVICE. jj Or, The peace of God, which passeth ail under- standing, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord ; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you [us], and remain with you [us] always. Hmen. ^men. ^min- c ^^ COMMON ORDER. Second Sunday of the month at Evening Prayer, or Thursday of First Week. The Congregation being assembled^ the Service shall begin with the singing of a Psalm, after which the Minister shall make this Call to Prayer. ASK and it shall be given you ; seek and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Let us pray. Then shall be said the following prayers and snpplicatiofis — Invocation of the Divine Presence. Almighty and Everlasting God, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, much less the FO URTH SER VICE. jj temples which our hands have builded, but who art ever nigh unto the humble and contrite; Shed down thy Holy Spirit, we beseech thee, on al^ who are here assembled : that being cleansed and illumined by thy grace, we may worthily show forth thy praise, meekly learn thy word, render due thanks for thy mercies, and obtain a gracious answer to our prayers, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A General Confession arid Prayer for Pardon and Peace. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Father, we have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. We are not worthy to be called thy chil- dren. We stand guilty by the witness of our own conscience. We confess our faults, each one. Especially we bewail those which we remember now to have committed. . . . We pray that henceforth we may commit them no more. Mer- cifully forgive our wanderings. Set us free from the tyranny of our besetting sins. Cleanse the stains of our heart and life. Grant us thy peace. Confirm us in all goodness, that we may serve thee with a pure mind ; and bring us to the life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. j^ - COMMON ORDER. Note.— //7/r«\ A General Thanksgiving. thojight desirable the thanksgiving Hoiiour and pi'aisc be unto thee, maybesaidbefore j" q ^Ord God Almighty, Fathcf in the Prayer for II- \ . . lumination. J hcavcn, for all thy loving kindness unto us : for making us after thine own image, for redeeming us by thy dear Son, for sanctify- ing us with thy Holy Spirit through the revela- tion of thy blessed word ; for helping and suc- couring us in all our needs and distresses ; for saving us from all dangers to body and soul; for comforting us in all our sorrows and afflictions ; for sparing us unto this hour ; for giving us so many opportunities of serving thee, and for bestowing on us those mercies which we specially have in remembrance. . . . O merciful Father, as we have received these benefits only of thy continual goodness toward us, even so, we beseech thee, grant us thy Holy Spirit that we may grow in continual thankfulness toward thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Pi'ayers and Supplications. O Lord, who knowest what is best for us, give us what thou wilt, and deal with us in all things as seemeth good unto thee. Give us clean and innocent hearts, purity of speech, integrity of life. Give us humility, patience, self-denial, pru- ' FO UR TH SER VICE. 37 dence, justice, courage, temperance. Give us the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of know- ledge, of goodness, and of thy fear. Make us ever to love thee with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves; to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thee, waiting in hope and patience for the coming of our master, that we may give in our account with joy. Here may be said such other prayers as may be thought desirable. These things, and all other things needful for us, we ask thee to grant unto us, not according to our zeal or our blindness, but according to thine infinite wisdom ; not according to our impatience, but in thine own good time ; not according to our worthiness, but according to thine infinite grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be all glory in the church throughout all ages, world without end. The;i is read a part of the Old Testament^ after ivhich is chanted one of the Psalms in the prose version^ or the Te Deum, or other Hymn is sung. When thought desirable^ the Magnificat or Nimc Di7tiittis niay be sung before the Old Testament lessoti. Then is read ^8 COMMON ORDER. a part of the Netv Testament. At the beginning of each p07'tion of Scriptwe^ the reader shall say — Let us read the word of God as it is written in the book of . . . chapter ... at the . . . verse. And at the close of each he shall say — May God bless unto us the reading of his word, and to his name be the glory and the praise. Then shall be said the following prayer — A General Intercession. Let us Pray. O thou who acceptest the intercessions which thy servants offer in thy Son's name, we beseech thee for all mankind. Let thy pity and pardon extend unto all. O thou who art the God of our fathers, be mindful of their children, and continue to bless our native land ; and as thou hast given us a high place among the nations of the world, and permitted us to increase in power and riches, may we be mindful of the trust laid upon us, and ever be faithful to thy cause. O thou King of kings, and ruler of princes, be merciful to thy servant. Queen Victoria, to Albert FO UR TH SER VICE. ^9 Edward, Prince of Wales, The Princess of Wales, and all the members of the Royal family. Mul- tiply upon our Sovereign and upon her family thine excellent gifts. Prosper her righteous undertakings ; direct her endeavours to the wel- fare of her people ; and as thou hast placed her over us in thy mercy, preserve her evermore by thy mighty power. O thou who distributest among men different degrees of power and ability to serve thee, we beseech thee for all rulers, judges, and magis- trates [especially for the High Court of Parlia- ment now assembled], [and for the magistrates and council of this city,] that thou wouldst be- stow on them all those capacities and disposi- tions which are suitable to their high office [and do thou grant thy blessing unto our university and to those that bear rule therein]. O thou who art the wholesome defence of thine anointed, we earnestly beseech thee for the whole christian church. Fill it with all truth, and in all truth with all peace : where it is cor- rupt, purify it ; where it is in error, direct it ; where it is right, strengthen and confirm it ; where it is in want, supply it ; where it is divided and rent asunder, unite and heal it. O thou Lord of the harvest, have respect, we beseech thee, to our prayers, and send forth 40 COMMON ORDER. labourers into thine hardest. Look with com- passion on the heathen that have not known thee, and on the multitudes that are as sheep having no shepherd ; and fill all who serve thee in the ministry of thy blessed gospel, or who seek the welfare of men, with great zeal for thy glory, for the honour of Christ our Lord, and for the salva- tion of thy people. O thou who hast given us the faith of Christ for a light unto our feet amid the darkness of this world, hav^e pity upon all who, doubting or denying it, have gone astray from the path of safety. Bring home the truth to their hearts, and give them grace to receive it as little children. O thou who hast taught us to love them that love us, pour out thy blessings great and manifold upon all our benefactors, friends, and kindred. Help us to love each other in thee and for thee ; to be one in heart amid all separations, and finally unite us for ever at thy feet, where peace and love are perfect and immortal. O thou who requirest us to overcome evil with good, we commend to thy mercy all who have wronged us, whether by word or deed, be- seeching thee to forgive them all their sins, and to bring them together with us to thy heavenly kingdom. FO UR TH SER VICE. 41 O thou whom no distance of time or place can part from those for whom thou carest, be present with all who travel by land or by sea, and through all the way in which they are to go, be pleased to be their guide and companion. O thou comforter of the comfortless, help of the helpless, strength of the wear}^ ; comfort, heal, and sustain all in loneliness, sickness, or distress of any kind, and may the dying be gently led till they shall have passed through the dark valley which leads to the eternal home [and if there are any of thy sorrowing children known to ourselves we name them in our hearts before thee]. Thanksgiving for the Faithful Departed. O thou before whose face the generations rise and pass away, we thank thee for all those whom death hath taken from us and hidden from our eyes, and who, resting from their labours, have gone home to thy nearer presence. Unite us still, God of our souls, in one household of faith and love, one family in heaven and upon earth, and sustain us by the joyful hope of meet- ing again those who are gone from us, and being joined with them in still closer bonds of love and service. Which things we ask through Jesus f3 COMMON ORDER. Christ our Lord, to whorn with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end.